Ledger rack



UNITED STATES PATENT GFFIQE.

o'r'ro L. HERMANN, ons'r. LOUIS, Missonni, nssienon r0 CORBON L. HARVEY,or

DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

LEDGER RACK.

Application filed January 21, 1926.

My invention relates to bookkeeping equipment and consists in animproved rack intended to be used for open ledgers of the loose leaftype.

In my copending application Serial No. 616,527, I illustrate anddescribe a somewhat similar ledger rack and my present inventionconsists in improvements upon the rack shown in the above-mentionedapplication.

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide a support forone ledger back and the leaves resting thereon, which sup port may thequantity of leaves in the ledger.

when a ledger is first used and constance,

be adjusted in height according to For intains a small quantity ofleaves. it is a marked convenience to have the same at a certainheightand when more leaves are added to the ledger it is desirable to beable to lower the back of the ledger so that the height of the leaveswill be maintained at about the same level.

Manufacturers to accommodate and retailers of office nature referred tohave it advantageous to stock sizes in order the conditions justmentioned. With my invention, a single rack is adapted to satisfy thedemand which hereto fore has been satisfied by the provision ofdifferent sized racks. In a ledger rack of the desirable to have a guidefor the top edges of the leaves which are turned from one'ledger back tothe other, and another object of my present invention is to provide aguide for the top edges of the leaves which may be adjusted to themovable ledger support as the latter is varied in height.

Figure 1 is a rack with one of flout elevation of a ledger the ledgerback supporting surfaces located in an elevated position.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially on line 22of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a with the movabl front elevation of the rack e support in alower position than that shown in Figure 1 and with a ledger indicatedin dot-and-dash lines.

Figure used to position supporting elem-e is desired.

Fig. a as 4 is an isometric of the member the movable ledger back ntwhen the higher position rtic'al transverse sectio iit Serial No.82,756.

the groove for holding, the upper edge of the back of a ledger, in thesame relation as Fig. 2. v V

The rack comprises a base 1 which is divided into ledger back supportingparts by a vertical partition 2. the righthand face of whichis inclinedfrom the vertical. At the base. The upper and lower edges of frame 6 arelocated in parallel planes and the upper edges are provided withrecesses 9 corresponding to the recesses 8 in the base.

Carried on frame 6 is the righthand ledger back supporting member 10,the upper surface of which is inclined at an angle to the horizontal sothat it will be subs-tantiallvat right angles to the righthand surfaceof par tition 2. The bottom edges of-member 10 are provided with dowels11 which fit into the recesses 9 in the top edges of frame 6.

At the rear of member 10 I provide a wall 12 which has a recess 13corresponding to the recess 5 in wall 3. Thi serves to receive the topedge of the back of the ledger resting on member 10 and it will beunderstood that the top edges of the leaves on this back will be engagedand positioned by the front surface of cleat 14 of wall 12.

To guide the ledger leaves as they are turned from one side to theother. I provide a channel-shaped element 15 of thin metal, and pivotthe same to an upward projection 16 on the rear end of partition 2. Theouter or swinging end of element 15 fits over the top of wall 12.

When the ledger leaves are increased in number to such an extent that itis inconvenient to have the ledgersupported at such a height as isindicated by the arrangement shown in Figure 1, the frame 6 may be removed and the member 10 mounted directly on the righthand portion of thebase 1 in which case the dowels in member 10 will enter the recesses 8in the base, the dowel re sses being so positioned th' he lefthand ofmember 16 will ctiiitaet with. this righthand face of partition 2. Whenthe ledger back supporting member 15 in the lowered position asindicated in Figure 3,

the rear guide element- 15 swings downwardly and tits over the rear wall14 in the same manner as indicated in Figure 1.

Mn additional feature of my invention is the provision of removablestrips 4! and 14 on the underfaces of cleats 4 and 14. I have shownthese strips and cleats as having tongue and groove joints and thefriction of these joints will retain the strips in place unless they areintentionally removed. If it is desired to use a ledger back of leatherand corduroy, or other material of unusual thickness, the strips landlei may be removed 7 and the height of recesses 5 and 13 increasedaccordingly so as to accommodate the thicker ledger back. Thisarrangement adapts the ledger rack for ledgers of different makes andincreases its field of usefulness.

Obviously, the separable strip may be applied in other ways than by thetongue and groove joint illustrated.

I am aware that ledger racks having hinged ledger back supporting boardshave been provided heretofore. but with these devices the relation ofthe ledger leaves to the horizontal is changed with every adjustment andthe device does not provide a ledger sup port which varies in height butat the same time maintains a predetermined angle to the horizontal.

Obviously, the details of my invention may be Varied without departingfrom the spirit thereof and I contemplate the exclusive use of suchvariations as come within the scope of my claims.

I claim:

1. In a ledger rack, a base, an upright partition dividing said baseinto two parts, a ledger back supporting member removably mounteddirectly on said base independently of said partition and at one side ofsaid partition and inclined to said base, and a spacing element forinsertion between said member and base to support said member at spacedpoints to adjust the rack for different thicknesses of ledgers.

2. In a ledger rack, a horizontal base with dowel recesses, an uprightpartition thereon having a face inclined from the vertical, a frameresting on said base but removable therefrom with upper and lower edgesin parallel planes, dowels on the lower edges of said frame fitting insaid recesses, a member for supporting a ledger back and having itslower edges resting on the upper edges of 'said frame. dowels in saidmember fitting into pockets in the upper edges of said frame, the top ofsaid member being inclined to the horizontal, said frame being removablefrom said base and member and said member being adapted to rest on saidbase with its dowel fitting in said base recesses.

3. In a ledger rack, abase, a transverse upright partition thereon, asupport for one back of an open ledger on one side of said partition,said support being adjustable in height, a rear wall on said support forengaging leaves of '1 ledger on said support, and a ledger leaf guideelement having a single pivotal connection to the rear end of,

said partition, the outer end of said element being adapted to engagesaid wall irrespective of the height of the latter.

4. In a ledger rack, a base, a transverse upright partition thereon, anupstanding projection at the rear of said partition, a support for oneback of an open ledger at one side of said partition, said support beingadjustable in height, a rear wall for said support, and a channel-shapedledger guide of thin metal, having one end fitting over said projectionand pivoted thereto and having its other end fitting over said wall andslidable thereon.

5. In a ledger rack of the class described, a ledger back supportingbase, a rear wall having a recess for receiving the edge of a ledgerback resting on said base, and means for adjusting the height of saidrecess to accommodate different thickness of ledger backs.

6. In a ledger rack of the class described, a ledger back supportingbase, a rear wall for positioning a ledger back resting on said base, acleat on said wall for overlying the inner face of said back, theunderface of said cleat comprising a removable strip whereby thedistance between said base and cleat may be varied.

In testimony whereof I hereunto signature this 5th day of Jany, 1926.

OTTO L. HERMANN.

aliix my

